Collaborative Proposal: Low-Cost Substrates for III-V Photovoltaics by Self-Templated Selective Epitaxial Growth of Germanium on Silicon

合作提案：通过硅上锗的自模板选择性外延生长实现低成本 III-V 光伏衬底

• 批准号: 0907112
• 负责人: Sang Han
• 金额: $ 30.06万
• 依托单位: University of New Mexico
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2009
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2009-07-01 至 2012-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0907112&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Proposal; Low; Cost; Substrates

'This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).' Technical. This project addresses epitaxial growth of high quality, single-crystalline Ge on Si substrates. The approach is selective epitaxial growth (SEG) of Ge on Si by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) conducted in a way so as to minimize the contact area/stress between the Ge overlayer and the Si substrate. The idea is to employ a perforated interlayer, through which epitaxially adhered Ge islands grow and subsequently coalesce to form a continuous film. The SEG process is well established in concept but suffers from defect formation during island coalescence, which is a topic addressed here from both experimental and theory/simulation perspectives. The project involves collaborative experimental and computational work that takes advantage of very high resolution microscopy capabilities for direct connections between experiments and atomistic simulations. Sequences of atomically resolved experimental studies will be combined with large scale molecular dynamics and kinetic Monte Carlo simulations based on state-of-the-art techniques. The aim is to delineate various phenomenological components of the overall SEG process in order to build a complete mechanistic picture. Goals include: (1) a quantitatively predictive atomistic-scale understanding of self-templated SEG and a way to optimize this capability, and (2) an analysis of several basic atomistic processes that have broad importance in a variety of heteroepitaxy applications beyond SEG. Non-Technical. The project addresses fundamental research issues in a topical area of electronic/photonic materials science having technological relevance. Lowering the cost barrier associated with Ge substrates is a key element in making advanced III-V photovoltaics as an economically viable option to generate electricity. This cost reduction may transformatively enable much wider use of solar energy than what is possible today. During the course of this collaborative effort, UNM will benefit from the computational capability at Penn, while Penn will benefit from UNM?s nanofabrication, growth, and analytic capabilities. The collaborative efforts will include frequent visits by the principal investigators (PIs) and graduate students to partner institutions. The research project also will offer an interdisciplinary educational environment for mentoring graduate and undergraduate students at each institution. In addition to research education, the PIs will develop materials for a course in Experimental and Computational Tools in Semiconductor Materials Science and Engineering, which will be taught simultaneously at UNM and Penn. The PIs will utilize a number of outreach programs at UNM and Penn to actively educate prospective students about research-oriented educational opportunities. These outreach programs have significant potential to improve the enrollment of minority students and women. This project also enhances the NSF EPSCoR initiative in nanomaterials in New Mexico.

“这个奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)资助的。”技术上的。该项目致力于在硅衬底上外延生长高质量的单晶Ge。该方法是通过分子束外延(MBE)在Si上选择性地外延Ge，以最小化Ge覆盖层与Si衬底之间的接触面积/应力。这个想法是利用穿孔的中间层，通过它外延附着的Ge岛生长，然后结合形成连续的薄膜。SEG过程在概念上是建立得很好的，但在岛合并过程中会产生缺陷，这是一个从实验和理论/模拟的角度来研究的主题。该项目包括合作的实验和计算工作，利用非常高分辨率的显微镜能力在实验和原子模拟之间建立直接联系。原子解析的实验研究序列将与基于最先进技术的大规模分子动力学和动力学蒙特卡罗模拟相结合。其目的是描绘整个SEG过程的各种现象学组成部分，以便建立一幅完整的机械图景。目标包括：(1)对自模板化SEG的原子级定量预测理解和优化这一能力的方法，以及(2)分析在SEG之外的各种异质外延应用中具有广泛重要性的几个基本原子过程。非技术性。该项目涉及具有技术相关性的电子/光子材料科学专题领域的基础研究问题。降低与GE基板相关的成本障碍是使先进的III-V光伏发电成为经济上可行的发电选择的关键因素。这种成本的降低可能会使太阳能的使用变得比今天更广泛。在这一合作努力的过程中，UNM将受益于宾夕法尼亚大学的计算能力，而宾夕法尼亚大学将受益于UNM？S纳米制造、生长和分析能力。合作努力将包括首席调查人员和研究生经常访问伙伴机构。该研究项目还将为每个机构的研究生和本科生提供一个跨学科的教育环境。除了研究教育，PIS还将为半导体材料科学和工程中的实验和计算工具课程开发材料，该课程将在北卡罗来纳大学和宾夕法尼亚大学同时教授。PIS将利用UNM和宾夕法尼亚大学的一些外联方案，积极教育潜在学生有关研究型教育机会的知识。这些外展方案对提高少数族裔学生和妇女的入学率有很大潜力。该项目还加强了美国国家科学基金会在新墨西哥州的纳米材料EPSCoR倡议。